MCU Imagines
by blackwidowisbae
Summary: A collection of one-shots staring you with various superheroes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Requests are open.
1. I Only Wanna Talk to You (BuckyxReader)

"I'm changing my wager," Tony says, watching Bucky slide over closer to you on the couch. You were showing him the joys of Netflix. Tony turns to Natasha, "I'm betting this week."

Natasha nods in agreement, "I'd say within the next 3 days." She rolls her eyes as he pulls the yawning and stretching move, his real arm now stretching across your shoulders.

The Avengers had a wager going within 3 days of Bucky joining the Avengers at the compound. Steve had been living with him at his apartment in D.C. before they moved here, finally deciding that he needed to interact more with other people, as well as the world he lived in. When he arrived, you had been the one to greet him. Within a day, he was obviously smitten, as were you, yet both of you were oblivious to it. The Avengers, on the other hand, noticed immediately. It had been three months and nobody had made a move, but it was going to happen eventually, it had too.

It had surprised everyone when the two of you began to gravitate towards each other. Bucky was still recovering from his decades as the Winter Soldier while you took ages to open up to someone. It took the Avengers three months to learn that your family had died when you were younger and four months after that to learn that it had been your doing. You were throwing a tantrum and as a three-year-old who could control time but did not know it yet, it hadn't ended well.

Clint walks past the spy and the billionaire, "I'm changing my bet to today. He's been nervous about something all day. I think he made up his mind." He nods towards the man's metal arm, which was drumming silently on the couch cushion, "He never fidgets, but it's all he's been doing."

Natasha curses in Russian, "How did I not notice that?" She glares at her partner but all she gets is a smile.

Bucky leans in close to your ear, whispering something. You laugh, agreeing with whatever he said. You lean your head over, letting it rest on his shoulder. He tenses for a second before letting out a pleased hum.

Bruce comes from the kitchen, carrying two cups of coffee, handing one to Tony, "Anything yet?" All three shake their heads, "If they don't ask each other soon, I'm going to have to do it for them."

"Amen to that," Tony mumbles into his cup, downing half of his black coffee in one go.

The show ends a few minutes later. You reach for the remote, turning off the TV, "I'm getting some coffee, want some?" You stand, waiting for Bucky's reply.

He stands up as well, "I'll come help you." You both walk towards the kitchen and past the other Avengers, chatting about whatever show the two of you had just watched. You both turn the corner disappearing from view.

A few minutes later, Steve and Thor walk up the stairs, they had obviously just been working out at the gym. They walk towards the kitchen, not acknowledging the Avengers as they were deep in conversation A minute later, they come back to the common room, both of them carrying a look of surprise on their face. The two men walk over to where the others were sitting.

Natasha looks up from her phone, watching them before speaking, "Something you'd like to share with the class, boys?"

"(Y/N) and James are currently in the throes of passion in the kitchen," Thor explains, grinning like an idiot.

Steve cringes at his wording before correcting him, "They're making-out, is what he means to say. So, everyone, pay up." Wallets appear out of nowhere, money is traded between the group of superheroes. Steve had gained the most while Sam, who would have to pay up when he came back from visiting his parents, had gained the least, his reasoning being that Bucky would never get the courage.

Bucky and you walk back into the common room, hand in hand, "Hey guys, guess what?" You're practically glowing with happiness, but then your eyes land on the piles of money on the table before looking at Thor and Steve, who hadn't been there before. You put two-and-two together and a scowl forms on your face, "You bet on us?!"

"No, it was just a little friendly competition," Tony speaks up. He opens his mouth, ready to continue but Natasha sends him a look that shuts him down.

"What he means to say, is that you two have been dancing around each other since the day you met and before all of us went crazy watching you, I came up with the idea of betting on how long it took," Natasha explains coolly, knowing that you would be less likely to throw a fit if she explained.

You take in her explanation before nodding slowly, "I was that obvious?" You whisper slowly, slightly mortified.

Clint nods, "Everyone knew but the two of you. I was about ready to snap." Hums of agreement echo across the table, "But you lovebirds figured it out on your own."

Bucky smiles down at you, feeling that happiest he had in a long time, "I think we have some things to discuss, yeah?" You nod, "Wanna walk around the grounds and talk?"

You grinned up at the veteran, "Sounds fantastic." You nod at the other Avengers before the two of you walk towards the staircase, hand-in-hand.

As soon as the two of you disappear from view, Tony speaks again, "I have an idea for a new wager; how long it will take us to get sick and tired of them."

Various voices ring out, some stating that they should leave Bucky and you alone, others giving measurements of time, ranging from 6 months to 2 weeks.

Finally, Thor calls out, his booming voice quieting everyone else, "Let them have some time before we start another wager and I have a much better wager, how long it will take them to fu—"

"And I'm going to stop you right there," Natasha stands, walking away from the table, "Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to go by myself something with my winnings."

As she walks down the stairs, towards the living quarters, she sees you and Bucky lying next to each other in the middle of the green space, talking happily. She was glad the two of you had finally come to your senses. You were both going to be so much happier now that you found each other.

 _Because of you_

 _I can_

 _feel_ myself

 _slowly_

 _but_

 _surely_

 _becoming the me_

 _I_

 _have always_

 _dreamed_

 _of_

 _being._

 _-Tyler Knott Gregson-_


	2. Can't Help Falling in Love (LokixReader)

The annual Stark Charity Gala at the Metropolitan Art Museum was in full swing. This year all of the proceeds were going to help those affected by the New York City attack. Tony had invited all of the Avengers and your resident supervillain, Loki.

Loki went back to Asgard with Thor the day after the attack, only to return a week later. Odin had decided that the proper punishment for his adopted son's actions was to help the Avengers; sort of like service hours, only on a much higher level. Director Fury hadn't liked the idea, neither had any of the Avengers but you and Thor reassured them that if anything went wrong, the both of you would be able to handle it.

You hadn't been surprised when he came to live at the tower, you had been hearing about Odin's punishments for millennia. You had been on the receiving end of them yourself, once or twice when you had been residing in Asgard a few centuries ago.

When you were being worshiped as a god, you had been known as Athena, but that was long ago; you had fallen out of worship and favor. Most of your fellow gods stayed in Olympus or in your Uncle Hades case, the Underworld, but you didn't want to. You left Olympus to explore the mortal world and the various other godly realms. You had changed your name and your appearance many times over the thousands of years, finally settling on your current form and name in Victorian England.

Somehow, Nick Fury had gotten word of your existence. You assume it had been Prince Thor, your arrival on Asgard hadn't been a secret when it happened3. It was a big deal to them, they thought all the other gods were dead. You had lived in the palace with the royal family, getting to know both of the Princes.

Fury reached out to you a few months before New York happened, inviting you to America and to work for SHIELD. You had been getting bored with regular mortal life and had been thinking about retreating back to Olympus but his sudden appearance must have been a sign from the Fates that you had more exploring to do, so you accepted his offer.

That's how you found yourself sitting at an open bar at a Stark Gala, holding a glass of champagne. You watched the crowd, picking out your fellow Avengers easily: Clint and Natasha were slow dancing together, it didn't take Aphrodite to tell that they were in love. Tony was entertaining various donators at a large table to your left, telling an animated story. Bruce and Steve were having a quiet discussion in the corner of the room, neither of them feels comfortable enough to talk to others. Thor was dragging Loki around the room, trying to show the population of New York that he was redeeming himself. You smirk at the god of mischief when he notices you watching him, causing him to scowl in displeasure.

You were millennia older them him but had a certain fondness for the man. You could almost hesitantly say it was a romantic fondness, but you would not allow yourself to think such things. That was the one thing that was still true to your days of power, you would not take up a man or a woman. Sure, you had experienced the joys of the body, but you did not allow yourself to love. You didn't know how long you would live and you didn't want to love and then lose that love.

You shake your head at the brother's shenanigans and turn back to the bar. You didn't mind socializing, in fact, you thrived in social situations, you had to, but sometimes you just liked to observe. You take a sip of the champagne, sighing as it bubbles down your throat, it was the closest thing you had found to nectar and ambrosia since you left.

The chair beside you moves and someone sits in it. They clear they're throat, obviously wanting to get your attention. You sigh, taking another sip before you look over at whoever dared to disturb your thinking. It was a man, he looked to be in his late 30s. He had curly, chocolate brown hair that was longer than Tony's, but shorter than either of the gods. He had sparkling blue eyes that reminded you of your Uncle Poseidon. He wasn't unattractive and you could see yourself leaving the gala early and going to his hotel or apartment.

"What's a pretty thing like you doing here all alone?" He smiles at you, his eyes trailing up and down your figure. He had a British accent, one that sounded like he was from London. He gets the bartender's attention, "Two whiskey's on the rocks." The bartender nods and start's preparing the drinks, "You look like you could use something stronger than that."

You smile at the man, biting your lip. You couldn't exactly get drunk on mortal alcohol, so there was no harm in accepting the drink. You hold out your hand, "(Y/N) Zeus." It was an old tradition, your surname being your father's name but it was one that you kept. It was a reminder of your early life.

The man shakes your hand before bringing it up to his lips to kiss it, "Charles Greene." The drinks appear in front of you and you nod at the bartender in thanks before taking a sip. This was the good kind, one that you'd never had before. You glance at the bottle, it read Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year. That hadn't come cheap, but this was an Anthony Stark party and no expense was spared.

"And what brings you to the Stark Charity Gala, Mr. Greene?" You question, putting your drink down and turning your body to face towards the man. You had the act of seduction down to a science at this point, you would hopefully be out of here in an hour, maybe less judging from the way he's watching you.

He thinks for a few seconds, taking a drink. He swallows and you watch his Adam's apple bob as he does so. He smirks at you and speaks, "I heard a certain hero would be in attendance, one that I've been dying to meet. I was hoping that we would have some rousing discussions about Greek Mythology, I've heard they're an expert."

You lean closer to the man, your voice dropping to a sultry whisper, "It appears that you've found the right person then."

P.O.V. Switch

Loki scowls as the man leans closer to you, he had no right to do so. You shouldn't have to deal with pesky mortals grappling for your attention, you were better than that. You deserved to be worshiped by someone, as you had been. But not by anyone, by him.

Loki had fallen in love with you the moment you touched down on Asgard. He had only just turned 1,100, merely a boy in your eyes. It would have been hard not to fall in love with you. You had been alive for so long and knew so much. You were the most intelligent being he knew and your beauty, no matter what form you had chosen for the century, was no match for any of the people on Asgard or in any other realm.

But, he knew there was no way that you felt the same. He knew of your history and of the vow you made to your father to not fall in love with anyone. He knew that you had kept that vow, despite being far out of Zeus' range of jurisdiction.

He watches as you lean your lips close to the man's ear, whispering something that causes him to pull back slightly, his face growing red. That man was no match for your art of seduction, he had watched many a man and woman fall victim to it, only to be disregarded at a later point. Loki had yet to fall victim to it, he was sure that he would at some point or another. Thor had 100 years ago and he would be surprised if you hadn't already had all of the Avengers.

This thought makes his insides boil, he hated that you did this. You deserved more than just leading on strings of mortals and immortals. He wished he could rescue you from it, whisking you away and winning you over with carefully crafted words and touches that he knew you wouldn't be able to resist.

Loki glances over at his brother, who was busy talking to a mortal man about the wonders of television. He rolls his eyes and slips away, walking towards you and the pesky mortal. He pulls on his jacket cuffs and adjusts his tie as he reaches the bar, slipping behind you.

P.O.V. Switch

You laugh at the horrible joke Charles just told, taking another sip of your drink. You almost had him, only a few more carefully placed touches and sweet words and you would be leaving this place.

You straighten up when you feel a presence behind you and turn your head slightly to see none other than Loki behind you. You look back at Charles, "Mr. Greene, may I introduce you to Prince Loki Odinson of Asgard, rightful King of Jötunheim, and Norse god of mischief."

Charles sits up and moves his body slightly away from you. You couldn't see what Loki's face looked like, but you assumed it was not pleasant. You had known about his crush on you the second you had seen him in New York, you didn't know how you hadn't figured it out sooner. When he realized you were fighting against him, he had given in only minutes later.

You couldn't believe that in these few short months since he had joined you and the other Avengers at the tower, that you had somehow started to fall for him too and here you were, trying to get some random British guy to take you back to his hotel when there was someone very willing to have you at your current place of residence.

"I think I'm going to have to cut our discussion short, Mr. Greene." You stand, downing the rest of your drink, "Thank you for allowing me to discuss my family with you." You smile at him before turning to face the god of mischief. You look him in the eyes for a few seconds before looking away suddenly.

You grab the god's arm, leading him away from the bar and towards the entrance of the museum. He opens the door for you and you walk out, letting go of his arm. You walk over to the top of the steps, stopping and look around at the skyline of the city. Out of all the places you had ever been, New York City was quickly becoming one of your favorites.

You wait for his footsteps to come up behind you before you speak, "You know, since the day I popped out of my father's skull and I saw what love could make someone do, I vowed to not have a part in it. I've had platonic love and familial love, but I've stayed away from romantic love. That's the one that holds the most power over your actions. Every time I saw a hint of it, I left where ever it was and didn't come back until whoever I felt the love for was long dead."

"I know," Loki answers softly. You knew that the god thought there was no hope of you ever loving him. He had lived his whole life being a shadow of his brother, never once having something for himself. You knew that you could give it to him, something for himself; you wanted to give to him, vow be damned. If your father came after you, which you doubt he cared enough to, you would strike him down where he stood.

"But I haven't run away from this. I thought about it; I almost did it once and yet, here I am, having this conversation with you." You look away from the skyline and turn around as to face Loki, there was maybe an inch of space between the two of you, "There's something about this one that doesn't make me scared. Maybe it's because they aren't related to me in some way or it's because I won't have to worry about them dying before me if it all."

Loki's breathe hitches, causing you to smiles softly at him. He looks in your eyes, searching them for a lie, something that he would be able to pick out in an instant, "You…you…you speak the truth." He steps back slightly, shocked as if he never thought it was going to be possible.

You nod, stepping closer to Loki, "You shoved your way into my heart. The Norse God of mischief, who would have thought that of all people, it would be that." You laugh lightly, "If only Zeus could see what became of me. If he knew this is what was going to happen, I would be stuck on Olympus moderating fights between him and Hera."

Loki is silent, you had stunned the elusive Slivertongue into speechlessness. He watches you as though he thought you would disappear. If this was anyone else, the silence would make you weary, but you knew him; you knew Loki inside and out. He steps forward suddenly, placing a hand on your cheek, tracing your cheekbone. He searches your eyes for something once again and he smiles, "I never thought…" He whispers, "I thought it was hopeless."

"Yeah, well, you thought wrong, for once." You lean into his touch, never had you felt something so intimate and welcoming until this very moment, "Now, shut up and kiss me."

Loki obliges, leaning in and planting his soft lips on yours. Your mouths move against each other in an intimate dance that you would only share with him. You both pull back at the same time, leaning your foreheads together and smiling at one another, "Norns, help me, I've fallen in love with Athena." He uses your first name, one that you never permitted anyone else to use and yet you liked when he said it. Even though you weren't the same person who originally had it, when he said it, it felt right.

"Zeus help me, I've fallen in love with Loki," You repeat his words, changing them slightly to fit your needs. You look at one another before you both burst out laughing. You bask in his laugh, he didn't allow himself to laugh often, but when he did, you swore it was even more beautiful than Apollo's lyre.

You both manage to calm yourselves down after a few minutes. He holds out his arm to you and you loop your arm through it, "Come, Thor has probably realized that I left him by now."

He opens the door for you, moving his hand to entangle with yours. You enter the gala again, nothing had changed inside; everyone was still mingling with one another, their drinks in hand. Yet, everything had changed for you and Loki and nothing would ever be the same. You look up at him, smiling. He notices your stare and looks back, a smile blooming across his face. You could live with nothing ever being the same.

 _It's beautiful when you find someone that is in love with your mind._

 _Someone that wants to undress your conscience and make love to your thoughts._

 _Someone that wants to watch you slowly_ take _down all the walls you've built up around your mind and let them inside._

* * *

Requests are open!

Comments and kudos are appreciated!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers if I did Loki would be alive.


	3. As Time Goes By (StevexReader)

It seemed as though at least one of the Avengers managed to hurt themselves on every mission they went on and this time was no different. You didn't quite know the details of this mission, something about a threat being terminated in South Africa, but what you do know is that Tony Stark had gotten himself blown out of his suit, resulting in various burns and cuts on his body.

That's where you stepped in. As the Avenger's resident medic, you had to deal with all of their injuries, check-ups and medical needs at any time of day. The job was actually the best you had ever had in the medical field, not that you had many before this one; the pay was great and you got free room and board courtesy of Tony. Plus, you got to call the Earth's mightiest heroes your friends.

And you were dating Steve Rogers. You had somehow made the man fall head-over-heels in love with you. You had only been on a few dates at this point, but things were going well. You both enjoyed each other's company and he knew that you could take care of yourself. To even become a medic for the Avengers, you had to have a certain amount of training. But, Steve and you had decided to keep this fact to yourselves for now, not that you didn't want to tell the others; it was nice being the only two people in the whole world who knew what was going on. You had both almost slipped up on multiple occasions and Natasha had almost caught the two of you making out in the elevator the other day, but somehow you had managed to keep it under wraps so far

Speaking of Steve, he was currently in the medical room with you and Tony, making sure that he was going to be alright. Tony would be fine, but you had threatened, jokingly of course, that if he didn't stop moving every time you threaded the needle through his skin you would purposely screw up your stitching. That had made him laugh before he followed your instructions and tried to keep as still as possible.

Tony watches your hands as you finish closing the wound. As you reach for the scissors to cut off the excess stitching, he speaks, "You have steady hands." You look up at him and almost thank him but then he speaks again, "What else can they do?" He smirks at the shocked look on your face.

Tony had always teasingly flirted with you before, as he did with every woman that moved, but this was something different. You prepare to start reprimanding him for even thinking it was a good idea to say that, but Steve speaks before you had a chance to get a word out, "Stark! That was uncalled for."

You look over at him to see his hands had rounded into fists and his jaw was clenching. You huff in amusement, you never took him to be the jealous type, but then again, he had surprised you in many ways since you started dating.

"Relax, Cap. It's not like (Y/N) isn't used to it by now." He looks down at your stitch work and then over at your back as you dispose of your gloves and start cleaning your tools, "Besides, it makes sense. Steady hands to match that wonderful body."

You tense up, closing your eyes in annoyance but you continue your job; you had taken the Hippocratic Oath, you couldn't hurt your patients, no matter how much they deserved it. You turn around to see that Steve had stepped closer to Tony and was now towering over him threateningly, "Stark, I would recommend you stop now, for your own health. I don't think (Y/N) would like to give you any more stitches."

You turn around, drying your hands and throwing the paper towel away, "He's not wrong, you move too much." You walk over to Steve, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Relax, he doesn't mean anything by it." You scowl at the brunet before returning your attention to the Captain, "Do you have any injuries?"

"Actually," Tony pushes himself off of the table, standing next to you, "I was wondering if you wanted to grab dinner after you finished; with me, alone, at a restaurant of your choice." He shoots one of his dazzling grins at you. Of course he wanted to go on a date with you and of course, he had to ask you in front of the man you were currently dating, albeit secretly.

"I'm going to have to decline your offer, Tony." You brush past both of the men to type a few things into Tony's records before turning around to face the two of them again, "I'm currently seeing someone."

"Who?" Tony questions, looking at you curiously, "You don't leave the tower often enough to have met someone. Is it someone who works for me?"

You look over to Steve, hoping that he would step in and answer Tony's questions. If you didn't give him the answer he wanted, he would keep pressing and pressing until he got the one he wanted. Hopefully, Steve wouldn't mind admitting that the two of you were dating. You both were getting tired of sneaking around and now was as good a time as any to share the information. Steve thinks for a few seconds before nodding, "It's me, Stark. (Y/N) is dating me."

Tony looks between the two of you before laughing and walking towards the door, "I knew it! I knew you two were sneaking around! Legolas owes me lunch now, so thanks for that!" He smiles at you before exiting the room, "Thanks for the stitches, Doc."

You and Steve look at each other, both of you stunned, "Are we really that obvious?" You ask softly, sliding off your lab coat and hanging it on the hook behind you.

"Apparently more than we thought," Steve answers, stepping closer to you. You turn around and jump back a little, startled by his sudden closeness, "But now it means I can do this and not care about security cameras." He leans forward, capturing your lips. You hook your arms around the back of his neck and he pushes you towards the wall, "You have condoms in here?" He half growls as he comes up for air, his pupils dilated so that only a rim around them was the bright blue that you usually saw staring back at you.

You nod pointing to a drawer across the room. He pushes off of you and walks across to the room to the drawer you motioned towards, slamming the door shut with a bang as he did.

 _P.O.V. Switch_

"So, when are we going to lunch, Katniss?" Tony exits the elevator, walking on to the common floor to see that Clint and Natasha were currently in the middle of a Mario Kart tournament that Thor and Bruce were watching with amusement and mild interest.

"What the hell are you-?" Clint interrupts himself, "WHEN DID YOU GET A BLUE SHELL? GODDAMNIT TASHA!" He glares at the red-head before his attention goes back to the screen, "Anyway, what the hell are you talking about?"

Tony walks over to the couch, leaning on the back of it, his eyes on the screen, "The one you owe me for saying that (Y/N) and Steve aren't dating?"

"You don't have proof that they are," Clint counters, leaning to the right as he rounds a sharp corner in the game, trying to catch up to Natasha's character.

"JARVIS, what are the two lovebirds currently doing in (Y/N)'s office?" Tony looks up at the ceiling, hoping that his AI would be on his side for once.

"Do you know how children are made, sir?"

Clint slams the stop button on his controller, much to Natasha's annoyance. He stands up suddenly, "Old man Cap still does that?" He looks over to the other three Avenger's sitting on the couch, "Did you know this?"

"I caught them making out in the elevator two days ago," Natasha answers, setting the controller on the table in front of her, a smug look on her face.

Thor nods in agreement, "Aye, I saw Steve dropping her off at her room a few weeks ago and heard them speaking of their wonderful date."

"I figured there was something going on," Bruce concedes, shrugging his shoulders, "I've noticed they've been sneaking around."

"What the hell?" Clint throws his hands in the air in frustration. He sighs, rubbing his face as his hands return to his side. He looks up at Tony, a scowl on his face, "Fine, when are we going?"

"Tomorrow," Tony decides, walking over towards the kitchen, "There's a new lunch place I've been wanting to try for a while. Although, it's kind of expensive." Clint glares at his retreating form until Tony disappears from view. He collapses back on the couch, picking up his controller and resuming the game.

Natasha pats his shoulder sympathetically, "Don't bet on things you can't win." Clint scowls at the Russian spy and then turns his attention back to the screen, cursing the super soldier and doctor in as he continues losing the game.

He was going to get Tony back for this somehow. All he needed was a few days to figure it out. He did still have that can of purple paint left over from his prank on Thor earlier in the month. The Iron Man suits were looking kind of boring. He smirks, Tony wouldn't know what hit him.

 _i'm jealous of the moon_

 _because she knows all of your 5am secrets_

 _and your sheets who get to touch_

 _every part of you as you fall asleep_

 _while i keep a close eye on this empty pillow_

 _waiting for your weight to keep it warm_

 _but the sun,_

 _he is the luckiest of all._

 _when you're half asleep, groggy_

 _and painfully unaware of how_

 _beautiful you look_

 _he kisses your lips with light_

* * *

 **Requests are open!**

 **I do not own the Avengers. If I did, it would be a lot gayer.**


	4. City of Stars (NatashaxReader)

_"Nat! Stay with me please!" You hold the love of your life in your arms. She was bleeding out, her blood soaking your clothing. A mission had gone wrong, leaving you stranded with a mortally wounded Natasha._

 _She reaches her hand up to your face, stroking your cheek, "I know I never say it, but you need to hear it at least once." She inhales deeply, her breath and voice becoming weaker, "I…I lov-" Her hand falls away from your face and her eyes become unfocused._

"NO!"

You shoot up with a cry as you come back to reality. There were tears streaming down your face and your breathing was ragged. You get enough control of yourself to lean over and turn on the lamp next to you. You lean back against the headboard, trying to calm yourself down. You glance over at the other side of the bed, which was empty as it had been for the past month.

Natasha had accepted a mission to go undercover in Russia. You didn't know the specifics, as it was slightly above your clearance level. You were stuck in D.C. running simple home missions, trying your hardest not to argue with Agent Coulson. You wanted to be promoted by the end of the year so that you and Nat could both be on the same clearance level and start working together more. It would mean fewer nights of you waking up alone from a nightmare.

You reach over to your nightstand, grabbing your phone but keeping it connected to the charger. Natasha had texted you yesterday, letting you know that her mission would hopefully be done in a few days but you couldn't wait any longer. You needed to hear her voice.

Your nightmares were always worse when she wasn't sleeping next to you with one of her arms wrapped around your waist and the other wrapped around a knife. You knew you would be breaking protocol and that if Coulson or Fury ever found out, you'd probably be fired, but you didn't care. They knew you were dating, in fact, the second you started dating the Russian, you had to tell them, and yet they still sent her on no phone call missions for long periods of time. You knew that she was one of their best agents, but couldn't they at least allow her to call you once a week?

You press on your contacts app and then scroll down to find Nat's name. You click on her name and then hit the call button. You unplug your phone, which allowed you to bring it up to your ear. It was 3 AM here, which meant it was 10 AM in Moscow, hopefully, she would be awake but not working.

Luck seemed to be on your side this early winter morning because Natasha answers her phone, "(Y/N)? Why are you calling me? It's…" She does a quick calculation in her head, "It's 3 AM at home."

"I just needed to hear your voice." Your whole body relaxes at the sound of her. You could hear people in the background on her end, so you hoped that you weren't interrupting anything, "I know I shouldn't be calling you and that if Fury somehow found out I'd be fired but I really needed to hear you."

"Nightmare?"

"Yeah." Your eyes close and your slide down the headboard, stopping once your head reached the pillow, "I only needed to hear your voice, so you can get back to the mission."

You can almost hear the smile through the phone, "I was actually going to call you at a more reasonable hour and tell you this, but I suppose now works. I'm at the airport right now. My flight takes off in about half an hour. My mission ended earlier than expected, so I get to go home. I have to do my debriefing with Nick when I get back, but I should be home 6 PM your time."

You could almost cry in relief. This past month had been difficult. Your relationship had been growing more and more serious; it hadn't even been 6 months since the two of you decided to move in together. You both had yet to say the three magic words, but you didn't expect it to ever happen. Both of you knew that you loved each other and didn't need words to reassure it, "I'm glad you're coming back, Tasha. I've missed you."

"I've missed you too." A muffled announcement in Russian comes from her end, "That's my call for boarding. I'll see you soon, okay? Could you text Clint and tell him I'm coming back? He'll kill the both of us for not telling him."

"I'll tell him in the morning. I was already going over to his place to have brunch, so I'll just bring the news with me." You had been going over to Clint's apartment at least once a week since Natasha left. Him and his dog, Lucky, had been keeping you company.

"Alright. Sneak Lucky some bacon for me. I gotta go now. Bye!"

Your phone beeps as you lower it from your ear and plug it into your charger once again. You slide back under the comforter, pulling it up to your shoulders to keep the cold out. You don't think you had ever been so relieved in your entire life. As you start to drift off to sleep, now unworried about nightmares, you have a passing thought about suggesting to Natasha that you get a cat to keep you company when she was gone.

This time, instead of dreaming of Nat's death. You dream of her coming home to you and a Russian Blue kitten named Antosha.

 _When you_

 _leave_

 _it storms._

 _The sky_

 _screams_

 _and weeps._

 _You_

 _come home_

 _and it is_

 _painted_

 _once_

 _more._

 _-Tyler Knott Gregson-_

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel characters. If I did, Natasha would have more emotion than _smirk_. The chapter title is inspired by the song _City of Stars_ by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.**


	5. Thunder (ThorxReader)

Dating a Norse god had its positives and negatives. Sometimes the negatives were overwhelming, such as when Thor had to leave you for weeks at a time to attend to Asgardian politics with his father. Thor had been absent from the Avengers tower for over a month at this point. Not that you didn't love your teammates, but you missed Thor.

You had joined the Avenger about 6 months after the Battle of New York. You had been trying to keep the streets of Chicago clean after your incident. Lighting had struck your apartment building causing a power surge; you had been plugging in your computer when it happened. You woke up almost an hour later with the ability to control electricity.

You still don't know how SHIELD had gotten word of your work, but they did. Nick Fury had shown up at your apartment one day, asking if you had ever thought of increasing the scale of your operations. You had disagreed at first, you loved the life you had made for yourself in Chicago, even if none of your friends knew that after you finished grading your student's papers, you were out fighting would be rapists, robbers, and the other scum of your city.

Nick Fury showed up at your apartment a week later, this time with Thor in tow. He had figured that if you talked to Thor, someone who had similar powers to yours, you would be more convinced. You and Thor had talked for close to 2 hours when you finally agreed. That's when you realized there was more to the god of thunder than what the news showed. He was brilliant, compassionate, and funny as well as powerful and handsome.

You had fit in with the Avengers rather well. The only one you had been slightly hesitant about at the start was Natasha, but both of you became fast friends as you were the only women on the team. Tony had also become a fast friend of yours. The billionaire was his own breed, but you wouldn't have it any other way. You fought often, but the fights were always over something stupid and it was always resolved in a matter of minutes.

Thor was always coming and going, but it seemed as though whenever he was residing at the tower, he spent a majority of his time with you; be it working on your powers or just watching a movie. You appreciated the god spending so much time with you, as he was the one you first met and the one you felt closest to. But soon, it turned in to something else; you realized that you were falling for him.

Falling for one of your teammates was bad enough. But the fact that he was immortal and obviously wouldn't look at you twice, was so much worse. You tried to will the feelings away so many times, it helped that he was absent from the tower so often, but then he would come back and you would fall for him all over again.

The thing was, Thor liked you too. He knew you liked him, being alive for millennia gave you intuition about things like that. He had finally decided to do something about both his and your pining after months of you dancing around each other.

Out-of-the-blue, Thor invited you to spar with him. You weren't the best with sparing, as you didn't have any training before you had gotten your powers. You typically relied on your powers, but you had learned enough to be able to defend yourself if you couldn't use electricity. You didn't typically spar with Thor, he was much bigger and stronger than you, which increased your chance of getting injured. But, you accepted that day, wanting to spend time with the god before he had to leave for Asgard again.

Thor had pinned you against the floor at one point during the sparring, but he hadn't gotten off after you called defeat. He had stayed on top of you, straddling your legs. His pupils had dilated slightly and the next thing you knew, you were making out with the Crown Prince of Asgard.

That was one of the pluses of dating Thor. Along with being the god of thunder, you learned that he was also the god of fertility and he deserved that title just as much. But even that didn't override how you felt when he left for weeks, or even months at a time.

You and Tony were having your usually evening spat over a bottle of Scotch when an unnaturally loud roar of thunder had shaken the tower. You look up to the ceiling, smiling slightly, Thor was finally back.

"Hello? Earth to (Y/N)?" Tony waves his hand in front of your face. You had drifted off in the middle of a snarky comment about his choice of alcohol.

"I think I might have to cut our fight short." You stand up, downing what was left of your drink, "Because if I'm not mistaken, our in-house god is back." As if on cue, the elevator doors open and Thor steps into the living room.

As soon as he sees you, a grin forms on his face. He drops his hammer as you walk over to him. You can vaguely hear Tony complaining about the two of you, but that was not what you were focused on. When you reached Thor, he raised a calloused hand to trace your jawline before bringing you towards him for a kiss.

When you finally pulled away to breathe, Thor spoke, his baritone voice sending shivers down your spine, "Hello, my love." He places his forehead against yours, "I have some news that you will be happy to hear."

You smile slightly, looking into his blue eyes. You reach down for his hand, "Well, don't leave me hanging."

"Father has allowed me to invite you to Asgard. There is a grand feast in a day's time to celebrate the yearly harvest. I thought you might wish to attend." Thor pulls back his head, looking at you with love in his eyes. He knew you had always wanted to go to Asgard, but he had to get permission from his father to allow you there. He had been trying since the day you expressed interest in going and had only now convinced his father to allow it.

"I think I'd have to be crazy not to accept an invitation from the Crown Prince of Asgard." You were hiding your level of excitement. You didn't want to give Tony something he could hold over you, he already had enough things to as it was.

"Well then, we shall leave in the morning." Thor raises your hand to his lips, pressing a kiss to the back of it. He looked past you to see Tony sitting on the couch, watching the two of you with a raised eyebrow, "I hope you have not gotten (Y/N) into trouble while I was gone."

"Me? Point Break, I'm offended that you would even suggest such a thing." Tony looks mildly offended but then drops the act after he takes another drink from his glass, "No, we didn't do anything. I wanted to prank Barton, but I was told I wasn't allowed to." He gives you a pointed look before continuing, "Go to your floor lovebirds, I don't need live entertainment tonight."

You stifle a laugh before grabbing Thor's hand once again, "Come on, I think we need some time to get reacquainted before we leave tomorrow." You ignore Tony's sputter as you lead the god to the elevator.

He picks up his hammer and steps in after you, "I think that sounds like a wonderful idea." The doors close and he pushes you into the wall, kissing you roughly. You weren't going to be getting much sleep tonight, you knew that for sure.

You had never seen anything like Asgard. Everything was beautiful; from the golden palace that you were staying at to the cobblestone streets that lined the city, not one thing was out of place. Although, the second you arrived, you felt as though you were out of place. Thor had put those thoughts out of your mind the second he was able to tell you were thinking them;

"You are the most beautiful thing here. You are worthy of this; my people, on the other hand, are not worthy to see you."

Thor had taken you to the palace straight away. You met his father, Odin, and his mother, Frigga. Both were kind towards you and you could see both of them in Thor. You had made an offhanded remark about Loki, hoping that there would be no way you would interact with the god who had wanted to take over your world, and you were reassured that he was locked away.

You were then lead away by a group of servants, who had been instructed to prepare you for the banquet. You had never been through anything quite like what they did and you weren't sure if you wanted to experience it again, but by the time they had finished all their preening and had dressed you, you had never felt more attractive.

The servants had dismissed themselves from the room, leaving you to look around. It was a large chamber with a balcony overlooking the gardens below. The room had an overarching color of gold running throughout as to match the palace itself. There was a king-size bed pushed against one wall with fur blankets thrown across. There was a dresser with various perfumes and colognes on top and a bookcase next to it. You had opened one of the books, but were unable to read it; it was written in what you assumed to be Nordic Runes.

You were about to open one of the drawers in the dresser, curious to see if there was anything in them when there was a knock at your door. You strode over, opening the large, heavy door to reveal Thor.

His hair was down, but it had intricate braids running throughout and his beard had been trimmed. He was wearing what looked to be ceremonial armor with Mjolnir attached to his belt. When your eyes reached his face again, you realized that he seemed to be doing the same thing to you.

A few seconds later, Thor speaks, offering an arm for you to hold onto, "You look beautiful, (Y/N). Asgard has never known such beauty before." He leans down to capture your lips in a kiss as you were putting your arm through his.

You blush, not knowing what to say in return to such a statement. You decide that thank you would have to suffice.

Thor smiles at you, his eyes sparkling, as he leads you away from your chambers towards the banquet hall. You were growing nervous and by the time you reached the doorway, you were beside yourself. You had never done anything like this before and you were being introduced to literal gods. It didn't help that you were dating their future king and that you were a mortal.

Thor senses your worry; you tend to fidget when you start to get anxious, "I am here with you, (Y/N). Do not fret, all will be well. My people already know much about you, as I do tend to talk about you often. They are eager to meet you." He cups your cheeks and leans down to kiss you softly. He pulls back slightly, looking you in the eyes, "If we need to leave early, just say the words and I will have us in my chambers in no time."

You let out a breath that you didn't know you had been holding in as you nod. Thor was right, you had him and as long as you had him, everything would be alright. Thor takes your nod as consent, so he leads you into the banquet hall. The chatter dies down a bit as everyone notices your and Thor's arrival, but it quick to pick back up again. Thor leads you to the head table, where his family and friends were situated. Soon, you felt just as comfortable as you did at the tower, jesting with Fandral as you would with Tony and sharing looks with Frigga and Sif and you would Natasha.

The feast passes by rather quickly. The food was some of the best you had ever had, even though you didn't know the names of half of the things you were eating. The alcohol was flowing freely, which you were happy to take advantage of. You had never tried mead before and you were happy to say you would try it again; although you were sure that human mead wouldn't even compare.

The dancing had started soon after the feast ended. You were not much of a dancer, you had never been, so you were happy to observe the Asgardians as they danced and laughed and overall had a good time.

Soon, your table was empty; the only people still there being you and Thor. The boys had wandered off a while ago in search of a partner for the evening. Sif had been invited to dance by another man and had accepted. Odin and Frigga had bid everyone good night, they enjoyed the feast, but the festivities were turning more towards the younger Asgardians.

Thor was watching you observe the dancers when he stood. His movement grabbed your attention, so you turned to look at him, only to be met with an outstretched hand and a mischievous grin, "May I have this dance?"

You snort slightly, ready to decline in favor of watching but when you look at Thor's expectant face; The god wanted to dance and help you integrate with his people and who would you be if you ruined his excitement. You stand up, taking his hand, "You're lucky I love you."

Thor grasps your hand, leading you to the dancers with a large smile on his face, "Indeed I am. If you did not, this would be rather awkward." You shake your head in amusement as you reach the dance floor. That's when you realized that you had no idea what kind of dancing the others were doing. Thor draws your attention away from the others as he speaks again, "Just follow my lead, my love, and everything will be fine."

You do as Thor says, letting him lead you in the various dances. The banquet was still in full swing by the time you were growing tired, but as Thor had said earlier, if you wanted to go, you only had to say.

Thor had gotten the both of you out of the hall with no problem and now you were both in his chambers. It was not much different than the room you had been in before, although it was obviously lived in. There were books and papers scattered on a desk and weapons leaning against the walls.

Thor handed you the small bag you had brought, filled with clothing and necessities. You changed into your pajamas and brushed your teeth in the grand bathroom. By the time you were finished, Thor was just getting out of his armor. He threw on a simple tunic as you climbed into the ginormous bed, watching him.

He joined you rather soon after and you both got under the covers, getting comfortable. Thor was spooning you, his arms wrapped around your waist. Your back was pressed against his firm chest and your legs were tangled together.

Thor presses a kiss to the top of your head, "I hope Asgard has lived up to your expectations."

"I think it passed my expectations within 3 seconds of my being here," You reply, a slight smile on your face. You were growing tired and it also didn't hurt that this bed felt like a cloud, although knowing Asgard, it might be.

Thor pulls you somehow even closer to him, burying his nose in your hair, breathing in your scent, "I am glad you came. I know you have wanted to see my home since we met. I was worried that you would be disappointed."

You turn your body around, wanting to face the god of thunder, "I couldn't be disappointed. You talk of here with so much fondness and love, that even if I hated it, I wouldn't be able to because you love it so much."

"Thank you," He mumbles. You watch as his eyes slip closed, "You are too good for me."

"I would've said it was the other way around."

Thor chuckles, opening one of his eyes to look at you, "Sleep, my love. I have much I want to show you tomorrow." You nod, even though Thor's eyes had already closed again by the time you did so.

A few minutes pass and you were close to falling asleep, but you had one more thing to say;

"Thor?"

"Hmm?" His eyes open slightly, he looked tired, so you wouldn't keep him awake for much longer.

"I love you."

"And I you."

You were asleep soon after, dreaming of the wonders the Asgard held with Thor by your side to show you them all.

 _I kissed you_

 _the moment the lighting_

 _struck._

 _I wanted to know,_

 _with bright certainty,_

 _that for the rest_

 _of your life_

 _every time you heard_

 _thunder,_

 _you would taste_

 _my lips._

 _-Tyler Knott Gregson-_

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel. If I did, Avengers 4 would already be out.**

 **Title inspired by the song _Thunder_ by Imagine Dragons.**


	6. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy

Loki didn't know why he had agreed to come with the other Avengers for a tour of Lincoln Center. Tony was sponsoring this year's production of a ballet called _The Nutcracker_ , so he had been offered a tour of the theatre as well as a chance to meet a few of the ballet dancer's behind the production in return for is charity.

Loki didn't have anything against Midgardian culture, in fact, he found it fascinating. Some of their writers, composers, and artists were better than Asgard's most revered. William Shakespeare was one of his personal favorites, the English playwright was better with words then Loki could ever hope to be.

Thor nudges him, bringing Loki out of his daydreaming, "Brother, you should pay attention," he whispers, "This is fascinating."

Loki grumbles but turns his focus back to the man leading them through the backstage area, "These are some of the backgrounds we are going to be using for the ballet. Our best set designers have been working on them for a few weeks to make sure they turn out perfect." He nods to one of the women watching the painter's touch up what looked like a throne room.

The god of mischief sighs, he just wanted to watch the damn ballet, he didn't need to see all that went into it. He was glad that along with the tour, Tony had received a box for the entire week the ballet was in production. He knew the others would only come once, possibly aside from Natasha, who apparently had a background as a ballerina, which would allow him to enjoy the show alone at least 6 times if he wished.

"I'm going to take you back to the practice rooms now, where you'll meet some of our lead ballet dancers. I'm not sure what scene they're practicing at the moment, but…" He pauses for a second, listening to faint music coming from behind a closed door a few feet away from where the Avengers had stopped, "It sounds like _Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy_ , which means that our prima ballerina (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and one of our lead danseurs Anton Masson are practicing for tonight."

The man leads the group of superheroes towards the closed door, which he knocks on. The music stops and a few seconds later a man with dark hair and dark eyes opens the door. He was wearing a tight black shirt with lighter colored leggings and light colored ballet shoes. When he speaks, a distinctly Russian sounding accent accompanies his English, "Dylan! What are you doing here?" He looks past the man, who Loki now labeled as Dylan, to see the Avenger's standing behind him, "Oh, that is today?" The man smiles at all of them, "My name is Anton. Can I say what an honor it is to meet all of you?" He opens the door wider and calls back into the room, "(Y/N), we have company!"

Loki is the last in the room and the first thing that draws his attention is the stunningly beautiful woman with (Y/H/L), (Y/H/C) hair, who is in the center of the room on the hardwood floor in a tutu, taking off her pink pointe shoes. She looks up, smiling at all of the Avengers. When her (Y/E/C) eyes met Loki's, they widened slightly and Loki could almost swear he saw a faint blush on her cheeks. She blinks a few seconds later and resumes taking off her shoes. Once she finishes, she stands, smiling at all of them, "I'm the prima ballerina, (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and unless I'm mistaken, you must be the Avengers."

 _P.O.V. Switch:_

You knew the Avengers were coming to visit the theatre because of Tony Stark's massive donation, but you didn't know that Loki would be joining them. You knew it was stupid to have a massive crush on the god who had destroyed New York City less than a year ago, even though he had supposedly redeemed himself. But, could anyone really blame you? He was one of the most attractive men you had ever seen in your life.

You hoped that he hadn't noticed your falter when you saw he was here, but you doubted that he had missed it. He was the god of mischief and you would be surprised if he _didn't_ have an excellent interpretation of body language.

You shook all of the Avenger's hands, starting with Tony Stark and ending with Loki. The god had taken your hand, shaking it before turning the back of your hand face up and bringing it up to his lips. He held eye contact with you as he kissed it and you couldn't help the shiver that went up your spine at the feeling the Loki's lips on your hand. If they felt that good there, you couldn't help but wonder what they would feel like on other parts of your body. You shook yourself out of it as he lowered your hand and then let go of it.

You turned your attention to the other Avengers and began explaining your role in the ballet. It was rather small, as you only had one dance, but it was the second most important female role, the role of Clara being the most important. Every time you glanced at Loki, he was looking at you, clearly intrigued with what you had to say.

When Anton began talking about his role, you slide over to the god and whispered, "You seemed interested, do you know a lot about ballet?"

Loki looks away from Anton, regarding you for a moment before answering, "I know more than the others, aside from Natasha. But I would be interested to learn more." You swore that he looked you up and down as he answered, but you must be imagining things.

You nod at his answer, smiling at him as Anton finished up, "I hope to see you tonight then, so you can start learning."

 _Time Skip_

"He's here again?"

It was the last night of the Nutcracker for this year and the house was full, aside from a few box seats. Loki had come to every single night of the production, even though nothing differed from the first performance he saw.

Céleste nods in agreement as looks in your mirror, "Dylan told me when I came back here." She glances at you as she layers powder on her face, "Are you going to ask him to your dressing room after the show or do I have to do it for you?"

You take a deep breath, adjusting your hairpiece in the mirror, "He could just be here because he is really interested in ballet, he told me he wanted to learn more about it."

"Are you actually stupid?" Céleste lowers her hand from her face, turning to face you with an incredulous look on her face, "Anton told me he was eyeing you the entire time you were talking and Dylan has said that he looks absolute bored during the entire ballet, except for your part, where he's practically jumping out of his seat." She points at you with her powder brush, "I wasn't kidding when I said I'd do it myself."

You sigh heavily, turning away from the mirror to look at Céleste, "I don't know. What if all of us are just reading it wrong? He is from a different planet after all, what if his actions mean something different it Asgard?"

She scoffs at you, "For someone so smart, you are completely oblivious. Did you know that (Y/N)?" She leans over, giving you a one-armed hug, "But, I love you anyway and because I love you, I'm going to go tell Dylan to ask Loki back to the dressing room." She kisses you on the cheek before closing her powder and walking out of the room.

"Céleste! Céleste, get back here!" You follow her out of the dressing room, but she ignores you, walking out of sight. You stop and lean against the wall, defeated by her determination, "I'm going to kill her one day, I swear."

 _Time Skip:_

The last show had been a success. After coming on stage for the final bow and receiving flowers courtesy of Tony Stark, you found yourself walking back to your dressing room. Céleste had already cleared out, she was going for drinks with the rest of the cast. You didn't drink and after your last show of the year, you just wanted to go home, change into sweats, and watch a cheesy Rom-Com while eating a quart of chocolate ice cream before waking up and preparing for your first show next year.

You opened the door to your dressing room to see Loki looking at the pictures on the wall of your past performances. You take a step back in shock, which draws the god's attention. He smiles at you, before noticing your confusion and letting his face return to normal, "I hope I didn't get the message wrong from Dylan. He said to meet you in your room after the show."

"Goddammit Céleste," you mumble under your breath before looking back at Loki, "I uh, well…I didn't send the message exactly. Céleste did, she plays as a member of my court. But uh, no worries. I didn't expect you to come." You walk further into the room, sitting on your chair. You begin to take your hair out of the tight bun, sighing in relief when it falls out.

Loki leans against the counter next to you, "I figured you weren't the one who asked for me, but I came anyway. I wanted to congratulate you on an amazing week of performances, and also give you this."

A pink lily suddenly appears next to your face in the mirror. You smile at it before plucking it out of his hands and smelling it, "Thank you. No offense to your friend Tony or anything, but I prefer single flowers to bouquets, so I appreciate this a little bit more."

"You seemed to like that kind of woman," the god agrees, pushing himself off of the counter. "Well, I'll leave you to yourself. You must be tired after this week."

He starts to walk away, but you surprise both him and yourself by reaching out and grabbing his retreating hand, "I…uh…do you want to come over to my place? Not that I'm trying to come onto you or anything! Just, to talk, maybe have a glass of chardonnay?" You really hoped you didn't just fuck up any chance you may have had.

Loki looks down at your hand before looking up at you with a smile, "I thought you'd never ask."

 _i cannot imagine a world_

 _where you and i_

 _do not_

 _dance_

* * *

 **There's chapter 6! It feels like it's been forever since I've written something! Let me tell you, high school does not allow you a lot of free time, but I'm finally on winter break, so I will hopefully have time to post a few more things before my hectic schedule starts all over again! Thank you to Rose Loves Loki on Quotev for requesting this! Requests are open as always! Likes, kudos, comments, etc. are always appreciated! Thanks so much for reading and that's all for now!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the MCU, if I did, Tony Stark wouldn't be suffering in space alone**


	7. Lost In the Moment (StevexReader)

The thing about dating an Avenger is that you could never be sure that the date you scheduled would actually happen. In the beginning, it had annoyed you to no end, the fact that you couldn't make dinner reservations or plan a time to see a movie just because Steve was never quite sure if he'd be on time. After a year, you had gotten used to it and found that you enjoyed the spontaneous dates you went on much more. Instead of going to see the latest blockbuster in theaters, you and Steve would cuddle up on the couch and watch an old movie. Instead of going to the latest restaurant in Manhattan that Tony got you reservations for, the two of you packed a picnic and made a day of strolling around Central Park.

Today was no different than any date. You had both decided to go visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art as Steve loved art and even though you couldn't draw to save your life, you appreciated the people who could.

The buzzer on your apartment rang at precisely 10 am, Steve was on time, as usual. You were running a bit late, also as usual. You press the buzzer as you walk past, trying to find your shoes, "Come on up, darling."

Steve let himself into your apartment just as you finished putting on the shoes you found thrown in the back of your closet. He walks into your bedroom, a teasing smile on his face when his eyes land on you. When you see the look on his face, you scowl at him, "Not a word, Rogers. Not all of us are as perfect as America's Golden Boy."

He ignores your scowl, walking over to kiss you and as always, the kiss made you weak in your knees. You didn't know how people thought this man was a virgin, but you pity the fools who did because this man was far from it, "Good morning doll. Are you ready to go or do you need help finding your phone?"

You huff, trying to push him away from you to no avail, "You're such a jerk, Steven. You would think your mother would have taught you some manners. And no, my phone is right…" you turn to where you had last seen your phone, or at least where you thought you had last seen your phone.

He laughs at your confused face, "You were saying?" You scowl at him as he presses a kiss to your head before walking over to your bathroom. On the counter, as he suspected, sat your phone. He walks back out, handing it to you, "Need help with anything else?"

You open your mouth but close it when you realize you don't have a good enough retort for that, "Let's just go." You weren't really annoyed at him, but Steve Rogers was a little shit and he knew it. He laughs as he follows you out of your apartment, but his laughter died down when you grabbed his hand as you walked towards the elevator at the end of your hall.

Soon enough, you were in the garage, trying to find the car that Steve usually brought with him but you couldn't find it. You turn, about to question him when you see that Steve was standing next to a motorcycle, holding a helmet out towards you, "I figured we could change it up a bit."

You walk slowly up to your boyfriend, eyeing the small bike skeptically, "Will this even be able to hold both of us?" You weren't opposed to riding the motorcycle. You knew there was a certain intimacy that came with it, having to wrap your arms around the driver as to not fall off, it would be nice to be able to do that with him.

Steve looks down at it, patting the handlebar, "She may be small, but she's sturdy. I promise you'll be safe. If anything happens, I give you permission to say I told you so for the rest of your life." He holds out the helmet to you, starting to put on his puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, alright! You don't have to pull those eyes on me." You take the helmet from his hands, trying not to smile. You couldn't lie, you were excited, "If I die, it's your fucking fault."

You place the helmet on your head as Steve climbs onto the bike. You climb on after him, bringing yourself close to his muscular back and wrapping your hands around his slim waist, "Ready?" He turns his head to look at you, a smile gracing his lips. You nod, knowing he could feel it. He turns the key, the bike starting cleanly. Your wrap around his waist tightens as he picks his legs up off of the ground and moves forward. You close your eyes, trying to remind yourself that this was just a bicycle with a motor on it.

You don't open your eyes again until you hear the sound of New York traffic, meaning you made it out of the garage. You look around you as your arms loosen, this wasn't so bad. Actually, it was a lot better than a car. You could interact with the world around you, hear the sounds, smell the air, and see everything much more clearly. You don't close your eyes again, wanting to take in everything you possibly could.

By the time you reached the Met, you found yourself wishing that there was more. That the two of you could just take a ride around the city. Steve helps you off the bike, taking your helmet off of your head, "So, what did you think? Was it as scary as you thought?"

You smile at him as you walk towards the entrance, your hands linked together, "It was actually a lot better than I thought. I think you might have been holding out on me." He opens the door for you and you walk inside over towards the ticket desk, "I'm going to require that after this we just drive around for a while, if you have time."

Steve smiled at you, squeezing your hand tight, "For you, I have all the time in the world."

 _When your world moves too fast_

 _and you lose yourself in the chaos,_

 _introduce yourself_

 _to each color of the sunset._

 _Reacquaint yourself with the earth_

 _beneath your feet._

 _Thank the air that surrounds you_

 _with every breath you take._

 _Find yourself in the appreciation of life._

 _-Christy Ann Martine-_

* * *

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the MCU. If I did, Clint Barton would be more like he is in the comics.**

 **Title inspired by the song Lost In the Moment by NF ft. Andreas Moss**


	8. Gasoline (BuckyxReader)

You wake up screaming. You were used to this after almost 20 years of waking up from the same nightmare every single night. You always remembered the dream, how could you not? It was a memory: the night your parents were killed by the Winter Soldier.

You had been at home, sitting at the kitchen table doing your homework. Your dad was in the kitchen making your favorite meal when your mom came running in with a gun. She was screaming about how everyone had to leave, about how they had to get you out of there before it was too late.

She was screaming until a bullet went through the back of her head and she fell face first to the floor.

A man with a metal arm and a mask on his face appeared in the doorway. Your dad pulled a gun out of nowhere and told you to run. The only problem was you were frozen in your seat, staring at your mom and at the blood pooling around her head.

When you look up, your dad was falling to the ground with the same hole in his head. The metal-armed man turned to you. He raised his gun, aiming it at your forehead but before he could pull the trigger, sirens sounded and flashing lights were visible through the windows. The man looked at them for a few seconds before slipping silently out of the back door. That's when you screamed in horror and how you always woke up.

At the time, you didn't understand why your parents were killed or who that man was. That was before you learned that your parents had worked for SHIELD. Your father had been the target as he was the head of the science department. He had been on the cusp of inventing a technology that would be able to destroy the world. Your mother had just gotten in the way.

You hadn't been aware of your parent's significance until you were in your senior year of college. You were working at a bakery in D.C. to try to pay off your already looming student loan debt when a black man with an eyepatch walked in and asked for introduced himself as Director Nicholas Fury of SHIELD. He told you about your parents and apologized for their death. He asked if you wanted to join SHIELD, saying that if you were even half as good as your parents, you would be incredible.

You had told him to give you a week to think about it. You ended up accepting his invitation, deciding you wanted to work in the scientific division as a chemist.

At 24, you became the youngest person to ever run the Biochemical Weapons lab.

At 25, you were the only person to survive an explosion in the lab you were running.

One second you had been helping one of the interns write the correct chemical formula for Ethylene glycol and the next you woke up in the hospital with a pounding headache. You didn't go back to work for almost six months.

A week after you came back, you had been absentmindedly daydreaming on your lunch break. You were busy thinking that another explosion would destroy another lab. It was only until you found yourself being shaken out of it by Director Fury himself that you realized something was wrong.

You allowed test upon test to be run on you as everyone tried to figure out what you had done. It turns out that what you had been thinking up in your head was being seen by everyone else as though it was actually happening. You ended up calling it Reality Creation. The chemical explosion had given you the ability to create an alternate reality within your own. You could make people be in a situation that wasn't even happening. They would be living that reality until you dismantled it.

Nick] had wanted you to switch to the field agent side of things. You refused, happy to be working in your lab and ignoring the very existence of your powers. You didn't want to hurt anyone. That all changed when Loki arrived on Earth You joined the Avengers, figuring you could help save the world and then go back to manufacturing biochemical weapons in peace when it was all over.

You had made friends with all of the Avengers and had even been offered a place of residence at Avengers Tower. You declined but would allow yourself to be called away from your lab to help save the world when it was needed.

You finally became a full-time Avenger when Natasha Romanoff and Steve Rogers were being called fugitives and you found out that you had been developing weapons for Hydra. You found out that you had been building weapons to supply the Winter Solider, the man that killed your parents. You had then happily accepted a spot at Avengers Tower and were now a member of a family.

That's why every morning, Bruce would let himself into your room to calm you down from your nightmare. That's why every morning, Steve had a cup of tea waiting for you in the kitchen to help ground you. That's why every morning, Natasha and Clint invited you to spar to get your anger out. That's why every afternoon, you would go through books that Thor had brought you from Asgard to help you learn about your powers. That's why every night, you spent your time in the lab with Tony drinking and trying to delay the inevitableness of sleep.

That all changed when Steve Rogers brought the Winter Soldier to the Tower. It turns out, the Winter Soldier was his old best friend, James Buchanan 'Bucky' Barnes, and that he had been brainwashed. He hadn't wanted to kill your parents. He hadn't wanted to use the weapons you had helped develop. He hadn't wanted to do anything that he had been forced to do for the past 70 years.

Nowadays, you mostly kept to yourself. Bruce still came to calm you down but Steve now brought you the tea. You worked out by yourself with a punching bag hanging in the corner of your room. You had read all of the books from Asgard, so you wasted time on Netflix. You drank by yourself every night, hoping that for once, you wouldn't remember the death of your parents.

A knock on your door brings you out of your head and to the present. You call out a weak 'come in,' expecting Bruce. But instead, the door opens to reveal the Winter Soldier. Bucky, you correct yourself, you needed to call him Bucky. You tried not to look afraid; you tried to fight the urge to trap Bucky in a reality that would force him to relive the death of your parents.

As you internally struggled, he walked over slowly as to not spill the tea he carried in his hand. Wait, why was he bringing you tea? You didn't realize you had voiced your question aloud, so you jumped when Bucky spoke, "They were called on a mission to take down a Hydra base. They left me here and they didn't want to bother you."

This was becoming more and more common. You barely went on missions anymore. You remember on one of your rare ventures out of your apartment overhearing Steve and Natasha discussing you, you had caught only a few words: therapist, depression, and PTSD.

You knew they were right, but you didn't want to accept it, you couldn't. You dragged yourself out of your head to reply to Bucky, "But…how did you know I had tea in the morning?" Your voice was hoarse from the screaming, one of the reasons you liked the tea.

"I watch Steve make it every morning. He brings it to you after Banner comes up here." He keeps himself away from you, looking about as scared as you felt. "I just thought you would want to know that they weren't here and I figured I could make it for you, but I'll leave you alone now."

You had never told Bucky what he had done, but you figured someone had. That must be why he looked terrified. He didn't want you to use your powers on him or maybe he felt bad for scaring you. You call out to him before he leaves, "I'd never trap you in a reality, you know. Even though you…killed my parents. I would never do that to you."

He pauses, turning around to face you, "I know. Everyone speaks highly of you, even though you've been up here since I got here." He sighs, his eyes closing before he speaks again, "I know this isn't any consolation, but I'm sorry about your parents. I didn't want to kill anyone but they made me. If I didn't do what they told me, they would torture me. They used to use regular weapons until some scientist invented these biochemical weapons and those made it so much worse."

"Did you…did you just say biochemical?" You had lowered your mug from your face. You had always thought he had used them, not that Hydra had used them on. "They used biochemical weapons on you? You didn't use them?"

"No, they didn't have time or effort enough to teach me how to, but they had enough time and effort to use them on me." He had opened his eyes again, looking sorrowful but less terrified of you.

You set your mug down and slide out of bed. "I'm…I'm so sorry." You walk over to him, leaving a foot of space between the two of you, "How are you even alive? I…I made sure that those weapons were lethal." You were worried about what the admission to inventing them would bring about.

He lets out a scoff of disbelief as he looks at you. You hear his arm shifting as he clenched and unclenched his hand. He finally spoke, "I guess we're even then. I kill your parents, you invent weapons to torture me." Before you could say that you didn't know that you were inventing them for Hydra, he continues, "I know you didn't know why you were inventing them but I didn't know why I was killing your parents. I know that's not the same on any level whatsoever, but I just don't want you to be scared of me and avoid your friends because of it. I've kinda had enough of people being terrified of me."

You accidentally let out a laugh at that, realizing that of course, a friend of Steve's had to be snarky. You almost apologize for laughing, but the small smile on his face stops you. You take a breath, "I'm never going to be over my parents dying. I figure if I was ever going to be, I would have been when I was 15. But, I think I can manage to try to forgive the guy who did it because he didn't want to do it as much as I didn't want them to die."

Bucky nods, letting out a rush of air that he must have been holding it, "I know this may sound forward, but do you maybe want to watch a movie or something? I usually hang out with Steve but seeing as he's not here and I really, really hate being alone after everything that happened…"

You cut him off before he rambled, "Give me 10 minutes and we can spar in the gym. Then we can watch a movie." His utter and complete human nature was playing in his favor. You had always pictured him as a mindless drone who didn't know right from wrong. That was true when he was still with Hydra, but since he had broken free, he had obviously regained those human traits. You also suddenly realized you had never actually talked to him since he arrived two months ago and that had likely been playing into your fear.

He smiles, this one more visible than the last, "Okay. That sounds good. Can I, uh wait in your living room? I don't really know where the gym is." He looked down at his shoes, his hair blocking his face from your view.

"Of course. Make yourself comfortable." You shut the door behind him and turn to lean against it. You couldn't believe how easy that had been. You were both aware that you were still uncomfortable around him and now that he knew you had developed weapons that had been used to torture you, he had something to hold against you. But the thing was, neither of you seemed to be bitter about it. Sure, you would always be bitter about your parent's murder, but you could separate the man sitting in your living room from the machine that had killed your parents.

It also helped that he looked really cute when he smiled.

 _Woah_.

Where had that come from?

You shake your head as if you were trying to physically remove the idea from your brain. You may be forming a slow friendship with him, but you couldn't possibly think the man was cute, could you? Wouldn't that be wrong?

You had just said that he and the man who killed your parents were practically different people, so…it wouldn't be that bad if you thought he was cute. You push yourself off of the door as you down the rest of your tea and move to put on your workout clothing, totally not deep in thought about how his eyes were really pretty and how his hair probably was silky smooth.

You manage to put all thoughts out of your head as you step out of your room. You blink in surprise, your living room looked actually kind of clean for once. Your eyes landed on Bucky, who was straightening your pillows. He looked over at you sheepishly when you stepped out, "Sorry…I'm used to cleaning up after Steve."

"No, it's totally okay. I've uh…been neglecting basically any kind of care that isn't reliant to me not dying." Why did you just say that? This is the second conversation you've had with this man and you're telling him something that you had been in denial about since you had stopped your routine.

Bucky replied before you could apologize for springing the information on him, "I know how that feels. It's okay." You didn't quite understand how this guy who had 70 years of brainwashing seemed more mentally stable than you, but you figured that could be a conversation for another time, "So…sparring?"

"Yeah, sparring. Let me just grab us water." You wander over to the small kitchen, grabbing two bottles and filling them. You walk over to him, handing him one of the bottles and trying to ignore the feeling in your chest when his fingers brushed yours. What the hell was wrong with you?

You gesture from him to lead the way to the elevator, trailing after him and totally not checking out his ass. You had no idea what kind of crack your brain was on, why were you checking out this guy you had just met? You step into the elevator, telling Jarvis to take you to the gym as you sink back into your brain.

Whatever was going on would serve itself to be interesting because you could feel Bucky's eyes on you. When you look over at him, he quickly moves his stare forward, but you could see the faint pink on his neck. You smile to yourself as you look forward, this was going to be fun.

 _Expose yourself_

 _to your deepest fear;_

 _after that,_

 _fear has no power,_

 _and the fear of freedom_

 _shrinks and vanishes._

 _You are free._

 _Jim Morrison_

* * *

 **Requests are open!**

 **Comments and kudos are appreciated!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own the MCU. If I did, Tony Stark would be alive and well with his 5 children. (Dumm-E, Harley, Peter, Nebula, and Morgan.**

 **The title is based on the song _Gasoline_ by Halsey.**


	9. Don't Fear the Reaper (BuckyxReader)

Sometimes you were glad that you weren't human anymore. You didn't have to worry about pesky things such as sleep or nourishment. Now was one of the times you were glad to be a reaper because it was pouring down rain as you went about your duties and if you had been human, you would have caught pneumonia, but now it was just a slight annoyance.

You paused as you collected the soul of a Mr. Seamus Hope, crossing his name off of your list. His soul left his body just as a bullet hit him from the gun of a woman with red hair. You specialized in collecting souls in battlefields. It was quick and efficient work that only the most experienced of reapers could execute. Before you had been stationed at battlefields, you had risen through the ranks from a lowly natural death reaper all the way to murder victims.

You recognized the group of people doing the infiltrating of the military base. You were usually assigned to most of their battles. You had yet to collect any of their souls, but the names of a few of them had appeared on your list only to disappear almost as soon as they were there. Death seemed to be saving them for something. You weren't ever supposed to question her and you didn't, but she had assured you that you would be the one to collect their souls.

You look away from the red-head and down to your list, "James Buchanan Barnes," you murmured to yourself. Now, why did that name sound familiar? The name disappeared a few seconds later. He must have been one of the humans attacking the base, perhaps that's why his name sounded familiar. A different name appeared and you went to find General Nikolas Kirkland.

When you entered what you assumed was the General's office, you remembered how you recognized James Buchanan Barnes. You stand in the doorway, staring at the man you had encountered more than a dozen times. Most of which had been to collect him, only for his name to disappear. He was standing over the body of Kirkland, he must have been the one to shoot him.

You walk over to the General, taking his soul out of his body and sending him towards Hell. You crossed his name off your list and waited a few seconds for another to appear, but it seemed as though you were done for the time being.

You take the time to look at James. At this point, you had mixed up all the times you had been sent to reap him, but he looked much better than all the other times. The other reason you were standing there instead of reporting back to headquarters was that you were debating whether or not to reveal yourself to the man. It's not like you hadn't done it before.

After the third or fourth time he had almost been reaped, you had moved yourself to a visible dimension and introduced yourself to him. Every time after that, you had stepped out and urged him to stop trying to die. You didn't know why you felt so drawn to this human, but you did. There wasn't a rule against fraternizing with humans.

You glance out the window; the battle seemed to be over and you would be notified when you needed to proceed to your next assignment, so you figured there was nothing wrong with revealing yourself. You close your eyes, concentrating on moving your atoms through your dimension to the visible one.

James didn't notice you for a few seconds as he was looking through the desk of the dead man. When he looks up to see you, his first reaction is to shoot you. You couldn't blame him, this was a battlefield and you were dressed in all black, albeit a dress, biker boots, and a leather jacket.

You look down at the bullet hole with distaste before looking back up at the man in question, "Now really, James. Is that the way you treat all your old friends or just me?" You were more than just friends with the man and both of you knew that. You weren't sure what the two of you were.

He set down his gun and stepped over the General's body and scooped you up in a hug. You reciprocated with a smile. He pulled his head back slightly, pressing a soft kiss to your lips. You think it might have been the ninth time you had been sent to reap him when this had happened. When he had kissed you and one thing had led to another. He pulls back from the kiss with a smile, "I haven't seen you in years. I must be doing better on the whole not dying thing."

"Much better, James. Although, I can't say the same for your friends that you came with." You stepped back, looking around the office, "Perhaps I can help you find what you're looking for?"

Before James could answer, a man with the American flag plastered across his armor entered the room, "Hey, Buck, we found the map down in the…" He suddenly noticed you were here and immediately tensed, "Who the hell are you?"

"(Y/N)." You tried to remember his name. You knew he had been almost reaped multiple times, almost as much as James. His name suddenly pops into your head, "Steven Grant Rogers, you really must do a better job in not dying. You're almost as bad as James is."

Steve had relaxed as soon as you had said your name, "This is (Y/N)? The girl who appears every so often?" You look over at James, who seemed sheepish at Steve's words. He must have told Steve if you remember correctly, they were best friends.

"Yeah, uh, she's that one. The reaper." You had always been surprised at how quickly James had accepted the fact that you were a reaper. You had heard stories from your coworkers about how they had told a human companion about who they were and had been shut out because they appeared insane.

Steve looked confused for a few seconds, "Like…grim reaper?"

You could tell he was going to ask if you were a superhero like them, so you stop him before he could, "Yes, like the grim reaper, no I'm not a superhero. I am one of many reapers who roam the universe collecting souls to send to whatever afterlife they believe in. For example, Steven, when you die, you will be sent to Heaven whereas James will be able to choose what happens to his soul upon his death."

"So, all of that stuff exists?" Steve questions, eyes wide as he lowers his shield and moves to pull off his helmet.

James laughs, stepping up and causally slipping his hand into yours, "Of course that's your first question. Of all the questions you could ask, that's the first one."

Before they could start bickering you speak again, "James, play nice. As for your question, Steven, yes, all of the afterlives exist. Depending on which you believe, that is the one you are sent to. For example, the General here was sent to Hell, because as a practicing Catholic, that's where he was meant to go." You look over at James with a smile as you squeeze his hand, "Now then, are you going to show me where you live nowadays?"

"If you're comfortable explaining who you are to a bunch of other people and don't mind a 4-hour flight," he replies, unable to help the smile that grew on his face.

You raise your free hand to cup his jaw, "You know that I'd do anything for you." You look over at Steven, who didn't know what to think of what was happening in front of him, "Lead the way, Steven."

 _Time Skip: 2 Days_

You hadn't been called to reap souls for an abnormal amount of time, which was beginning to worry you. Death wasn't one to give her reapers a vacation. You stare up at the ceiling as James pulls you close to him. He was sleeping and even in a form that was visible to humans, you didn't need to sleep.

You glance at the clock as an alarm goes off. It was 6 AM, James would hit snooze twice before shutting the alarm off and reluctantly dragging himself out of bed to go for a jog around the Avengers Compound with Steven and Samuel.

As expected, James' arm flings over to hit the snooze button as he snuggles himself closer to your naked body. You sigh happily and speak quietly, "You know, I could stop being a reaper."

You were one of the oldest reapers around who was employed by Death. When you had died way back in 1525, you hadn't believed in anything, so you had been allowed to become a reaper, which gave you certain privileges. Among them was that you weren't dead. Yes, your original body was long gone, but your soul was still around and you were allowed to pose as a human. Death had told you that if you wished to stop being a reaper, you could go back to Earth as a human at any age of your choosing and when it was time to die if you wished you could become a reaper yet again. You had been thinking about staying with James after the last time you almost reaped him but hadn't said anything to him until now.

James shifted up to his elbow to look at you, whatever sleep that he had still had in him vanishing, "What do you mean?" You explain to him what came with being a reaper and how you could become a human, again. "But why would you want to? Seems like you have a pretty good deal."

You laugh softly, turning to face him. You trace his jawline with your right index finger before letting your thumb rest on his lips, "Because, James, I've realized that I rather enjoy spending time with you and it would be nice to have a 70 or so year vacation before going back to work." You left off the part where you admitted that you had fallen in love with him and wanted to spend the rest of your life with him, but hopefully, it was an unspoken understanding.

He moves your hand from his face, interlacing his fingers with yours, "You'd give up everything you've known for the past 500 years, just for me?" You nod in agreement with his statement, bringing his hand up to your lips to press a kiss to the back of it. "Well, if that's what would make you happy, I think you should do it."

You smile, leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips before sliding out of bed and walking over to where your clothing rested on the floor. "Then, I will be back in a few hours as a human." You slip on your clothing, walking over to press a kiss to his lips one more time. You step back and allow yourself to be faded out of existence.

 _Time Skip: 4 Hours_

You reappear in the same place you left from, thanks to Death. She escorted you from the realm of reapers to your new home. You felt honored by her presence, as she didn't usually leave her place unless there was a particularly large reaping going on. You had said your goodbyes and she welcomed you to come back once you died again.

You smile down at your hands, now fully human and alive once again. You were honestly happy that you had to eat now because the food looked appetizing compared to when you had first been alive. You move to exit the bedroom just as the door opens. You jump back narrowly missing being hit with the door.

James looked delighted to see that you had returned. He stepped forward, scooping you up in a big hug and spinning you around, "Human again?"

You respond by capturing his lips in a deep kiss, one of your hands going up to cup his face. You pulled away with a big smile on your face, "I am 100% human. From now until the day I die." James opened his mouth to speak but you stopped him before he could, "The first thing I would like to do is eat something cooked by you."

James smiled big, setting you back down on the ground, "Lucky for you, I'm a good chief." He takes your hand and leads you out of his bedroom and towards the main room in the compound. You wanted your first meal in 500 years to be cooked by the man you loved most and luckily, he wanted to do the same for you.

That's when you knew you had picked the right man to have another chance at life with. When he didn't complain about making you a 'welcome back to being a human' meal.

 _It was you,_

 _it was me,_

 _it was the silence_

 _underneath the stars_

 _that understood_

 _my heartbeat_

 _and its racing._

 _You told me nothing._

 _I believed everything._

 _In that moment_

 _I found life._

 _In that moment_

 _I found you._

perry poetry

* * *

Requests are open!

Comments and kudos are appreciated!

Disclaimer: I don't own the MCU. If I did, Steve's character arc would be respected and he wouldn't have gone back to the past.

The title is based on the song _Don't Fear the Reaper_ by Blue Oyster Cult


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